It was late, probably around eight o'clock when the phone rang last night. Tim was calling to say that when he unloaded his heifers out of the back of his horse trailer, here came Tinker Bell, our two year old beef. She'd busted out of her pen into my mare's next door and then leaped over the cow panel fence. She was mooing so longingly at him outside his heifers fence that he opened the gate and let her in. We've both experienced trying to find a black beef in the dark, so he graciously offered to keep her until morning when she wouldn't blend in with the night so well and I could move her in the morning's light. You never know when one of these girls will get a bee in her bonnet and just take off on a cross country trip without even a howdy doo or see you later. Maybe you like chasing shadows in the night but I'm not fond of the game. Besides my beef don't have a clue what herding is and the principle of being steered in the right direction from behind simply confuses them. All they've ever done is follow Momma, and I'm Momma.
Having had Tinker Bell since she was a few day old calf and having had to lead her back to her pen a few times during that period, I knew what to expect and ask my husband to take pictures. He on the other hand has never been there when she's gotten away.
To understand why I wanted him to document the event, you first need to know of one of her annoying habits that began when she was a a bottle calf. She'd take a few sucks from the bottle and then whirl around you in a circle for a few rounds while brushing up against you. Then she'd suckle a little more and around she'd go again. I never could break her of it though I did manage to teach her to stand next to me without leaning for I knew that fourteen hundred pounds later it wouldn't be so cute.
I set the camera up and handed it to Kirk while I unlatched the gate and hollered, "Here Tinker Bell". She came on a dead run.
"How am I suppose to photograph this?" my husband yelled as he scrambled trying to get a good shot while Tinker Bell rushed to my side.
"Get out way in front of us." I called while trying to keep a close eye on where Tinker Bell was as she bucked and whirled around me. The last thing I wanted was a over exuberant fourteen hundred pound heifer running me over in her enthusiastic state.
I brought grain just in case I needed it to coax her along in the right direction should she become distracted but it wasn't needed. She just bucked and kicked and whirled around me. Once in a while burying her head in the grain bucket before dashing off around me once more.
When she was little I could shove her over but there was no way I could push this big girl over and she knocked me to the side more than once before I could whirl as fast as she was circling.
I didn't dare run for fear she'd not put on the breaks fast enough in her haste to keep up with me. Besides I was laughing too hard and at fifty years old my sprinting days are over.
I'm surprised Kirk got any shots as he ran ahead while laughing at the scene.
At last we're home, Whew!! Okay, it was only a hundred feet or so back to her pen but that's far enough when you're trying to remain standing with an over excited and cuddly heifer.
Look at that behind. I won't show you the picture Kirk took featuring mine at the gate for I'm too embarrassed how much Tinker Bell's and mine look alike.
Let's hope Tinker Bell's gallivanting days are over.
I think I'll have a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallow. That sounds good after a dash for home on this frosty cold morn. Have a great day!
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